


King of Atlantis

by Sybil_Silverphoenix



Category: Fantastic Four (Movies 2005-2007)
Genre: Atlantean politics, Attuma is a dick, F/M, Family life for Reed & Sue with their kids, Heroes & Villains, Namor has a prodigal son arc, action and adventure, various name dropping and mention of other Marvel characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-13
Updated: 2015-11-29
Packaged: 2018-04-26 06:03:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4993060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sybil_Silverphoenix/pseuds/Sybil_Silverphoenix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The vicious Warlord of Atlantis, Attuma, has in his possession an ancient relic of tremendous power... The Trident of Poseidon... and he uses it to summon the mightiest sea monsters to lay claim to the Throne beneath the waves.</p><p>Only Namor dares to defy him with a scant few... but the Submariner is defeated and cast from the oceans, banished to the solid land of the Surface-dwellers.</p><p>Can the disgraced Prince rally his forces to reclaim the throne is rightfully his? Can he gain the allegiance of the Surface-dwellers to aid him in this endeavor?</p><p>And what of this gorgeous blonde woman who is truly the most powerful being Namor has ever encountered... can he win her heart?</p><p>Wait! She's married?! With children?!?!</p><p>And why does the toddler, Valeria, look at everyone like she knows better than them?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Regime Change

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I've had this story idea for nigh on two years now... and with the release of that god-awful movie in Aug 2015 (wtf, seriously?), I felt it was time for this to be shared.
> 
> I personally feel that they should've just continued with what they had established in the first two movies. Only this time bring in Namor and Atlantis :D
> 
> Especially, if Joseph Gordon-Loveitt played Namor, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson played Attuma, and since Chris Evans is tied up playing Captain America... Sooo... I feel there is only one actor who could step into the role of Johnny Storm and do Chris' job justice... Channing Tatum ;)
> 
> Love this story or not, let me know if you would please :)
> 
> Oh and this ties in with my Heroes & Villains series for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
> 
> Enjoy the read folks :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh I almost forgot... I like to think of Nick Swardson playing as H.E.R.B.I.E.  
> He does an awesome robot voice that would perfect for the character ;)

“This is an outrage! An insult to our ancestors! A sacrilege against Poseidon himself!” A blue skinned man dressed in black with golden armor pieces rages. His hulking form looms threatening as he floats in the waters of this submerged throne room. Glowing orbs of white light line the walls and illuminate the scene unfolding within this royal place. Some of the gathered members of the court murmur amongst each other at this outburst for the dying King has just named his successor.

“Warlord Attuma! Calm yourself.” The aged King of the Merfolk says as he sits upon his floating kelp throne.

“Calm myself?! You want me to calm myself as you name a half-breed Air-breather your successor!” Attuma continues to rage as the glowing teal irises in his black eyes flare brighter.

“We all know you desire the throne of Atlantis for yourself, Warlord.” Comes the calm and stern voice of Namor as he comes flying from above into the ring of coral encrusted walls that serve as the throne room which is at the very top of the highest spire in the underwater city. The pink skinned man is accompanied by a pale blue-skinned woman with white streaked faintly green hair. They both have the black eyes with glowing irises… the color of which is a medium blue.

“Princess Namorita… Half-breed.” Attuma says the Princess’ name with respect and he sneers the insult at the dark haired Namor.

“Your Benevolence. I humbly accept your offer.” Namor says as he glides to float before the aged King upon the floating throne. The old merman’s pale blue skin looks more gray than anyone else’s and his hair is all white.

“You honor me, Namor.” The old King starts. “You have been like a son to me though my sister bore you. I have had the privilege to watch you grow into the fine merman you are today.” Attuma groans out loudly in his displeasure. The old King’s dimmed eyes narrow at the angry Warlord but he returns his focus to Namor.

“When you are King of Atlantis… take my daughter’s hand in marriage and let none question your validity again.” The old King then stops and coughs violently.

“Father!” Namorita says in concern as she zips swiftly to his side at the throne.

“It shall be so.” Namor says… but he doesn’t fully mean it for he sees his cousin, Namorita, as being more like his sister. Her blue eyes seek out Namor’s and he can see the worry and uncertainty within their depths.

“I will never accept a half-breed King. NEVER!!!” Attuma shouts then swims away. A few of the gathered members of court agree and swim away with the angry Warlord. Namor watches Attuma go… he knows there will be trouble… as sure as the currents, it is coming… and Attuma will be at the head of the wave.

 

___________

_Five Years later…_

 

Attuma returned with nearly half of the Atlantean army at his back. The city’s defenses held… the bubble shields were strong… but Attuma brought the dreaded monsters from the abyssal depths with him… A kraken, a whale-eater shark, and a serpent so long… it could easily stretch from one end of the sunken city to the other.

“Impossible!” Namor exclaims as he fights in the waters above his home. Some of the Atlantean soldiers around him start to panic. “Hold your positions! We still have the bubble shields!” Namor commands to his men. They stop and watch as a new threat swims up from the depths at the command of the Warlord… a creature from a time long past and thought to be no more… a huge razor-shell turtle.

The massive snapping turtle swims swift and sure… right for the bubble shield. It turns and glides around the edge just touching the razor sharp ridge at the center of its back shell to the shield. The bubble bursts… and Attuma, riding a huge ray, leads the charge into the now open city of Atlantis. He points at Namor with a gleaming golden trident… and there is a burst of blue-green energy from the three points. They hit the shell shield that Namor has and shatters it in a burst of light and bubbles. Namor is thrown down to the dwellings below.

“Weak.” Attuma says and spurs his mount on to the highest spire… to the king who rejected him. He enters from above, blasting away the group of guards there to protect the dying old merman. “I have returned, Old Fool!” Attuma declares as he slips off his mount. “And I bring you a gift.” He says with a cold sneer as he slowly swims towards the old king…

“Attuma? Is that the trident of Poseidon?” The old King says and coughs at the end. He can see his daughter, Namorita hiding behind a pillar on the other side of the coral circle. He implores her to stay there with a hand gesture and he thengives his full attention to the angry Warlord.

“Yes… and before you ask… I found it far to the south. I had to fight a huge serpent for it… but I managed to slip past it and get this trinket.” Attuma says as he admires the golden trident in his hands for a moment as he comes to float before the King. “This spear gives me the power to summon ALL the creatures that swim in the ocean… from the smallest… to the largest. And I plan on utilizing such a force to bring War to the Surface-dwellers and put an end to their reckless trespassing upon OUR waters ONCE AND FOR ALL!!!!” Attuma adds with a mighty shout… then points the trident at the old King… and fires away mercilessly until the old merman is dead. The rapid bursts of light and bubbles dissipates leaving Attuma free to move upon the throne of Atlantis.

“Long live the King.” Attuma then says with a cold smirk as he ascends to the floating throne and seats himself comfortably there upon. Namorita holds her hands to her mouth to keep from screaming and revealing her position. Her heart clenches at the loss of her father.

“All hail, Warlord Attuma! King of Atlantis!” Attuma’s loyal soldiers declare as they move in having watched the scene unfold before them. They all start to cheer. Namorita watches in shock as these soldiers cheer her father’s death. He was a wise and fair ruler who did not deserve to be blasted into nonexistence. Then it hits her… Namorita knows she has to get away… if she sticks around here much longer… then Attuma will force her in marriage. This is a fate worst than death to the Atlantean Princess… but before she can slip away, she notices something… Suddenly a pod of dolphins dashes in and hits several of the soldiers.

“ATTUMA!!!” Namor yells as he comes in and starts punching everyone who gets in his way. The pink skinned merman fights with all his heart and manages to win his way through to the throne. Where Attuma awaits with trident poised… prongs glowing dangerously.

“Half-breed… there is no place here for you anymore.” Attuma says and hits Namor in the center of his chest… but his gold chest plate protects him. “If I can’t kill you… THEN I’LL JUST THROW YOU FROM THE OCEAN!!!” Attuma rages and lifts the trident up… the water follows his command and captures Namor… then Attuma releases a mighty burst of blue-green energy as he thrusts the trident forwards… and Namor is sent hurtling away from the submerged city.

Namor watches in a daze as the tranquil glow of the sunken city’s lights shrink and fade into the blue of the ocean’s depths… then he bursts out of the water and is rendered weightless as he flies through a void of nothingness. Namor looks up and sees a brilliant white orb and several twinkling lights in the deep blue of the sky. He has seen this sight many a time as a child… when his mother still lived.

 

~f~*~l~*~a~*~s~*~h~*~b~*~a~*~c~*~k~

“You see that group of stars there?” A beautiful merwoman with pale blue skin and silver-streaked dark green hair says as she points to a group of twinkling lights in the heavens above. She is sitting on a rocky shoreline with her young son in her lap.

“Yes, mommy.” A very young Namor says as he looks up at the night sky with awe and wonder. The little boy couldn’t be more different than his mother with his peachy skin and black hair… only his eyes match hers… glowing sky blue irises in a field of inky black.

“That is Orion, the Hunter.” The merwoman says with a fond smile as she seems to lose herself to thought for a moment. “He was said to have fallen in love with Huntress Goddess… Artemis… and when he spied her bathing in the moonlight, she cursed him into the form of an animal. He fled from her and she hunted him… but he gave her the slip every time. And when she did finally catch him, she honored him by returning him to his rightful form. He died telling her how much he loved her. So she placed his body in the void above.”

“How do you know that, mommy?” The boy questions curiously as he looks up at his mother as the waves come in gently against the rocks. The merwoman looks away from the stars then at Namor.

“Because your father told me that tale as well as all the names of the lights in the void above.” Namor’s mother says and smiles sadly down at her boy.

“Was my father different looking as well?” The boy then asks. He has been picked on by the other children… even sneered at by many of the adults. “Was he a ‘Half-Breed’ too?”

“Your father was different… but he wasn’t like that.” Namor’s mother says then sighs. She then cups her son’s little face with a hand as they lock eyes. “He was a surface-dweller… a human. Humans can’t breathe underwater like we can… and we can last only so long out of the water. It is the divide that separates us… parts us from one another.”

“But you and father found a way.” Little Namor says as he smiles up at his beautiful mother. She returns it though sadly.

“Yes… for a time we were happy… but nothing lasts forever… remember that Namor. All things come to an end… whether they are wrought by the Titans, the Olympians, merfolk, or humans… All things come to an end one day.” She then says to her little boy and a new smile starts across her face… a warmer one, full of love and admiration before she adds, “You bridge the divide, Namor. You can walk unrestricted in both sea and surface. You will one day heal the fissure between Merfolk and Human, but you will have to constantly tend to such a task… for there are many, on both sides of the Ocean’s surface, who do not share the idea of peace between all. And you will have to fight hard for it, my precious son.” She then kisses Namor’s little head and they watch the stars some more before he drifts off into sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Namor feels his eyes prick as he rushes through the air as he returns to his current present. He is flying through the air having been banished by that bastard Warlord, Attuma… then he starts to descend. He hits… the water at first… skid then skip… skid then skip… then he slides along the water slowing down until he hits the sandy shore hard… and there he passes out to thoughts of his mother and the stories she used to tell him of the Surface world above the waves.

 

___________

“Now concentrate…” Sue says as she coaches her six year old son as he levitates a book (without a force field). It has been eight years since the Fantastic Four dealt with the Silver Surfer and the planet-eating force known as Galactus. Since then they have fought crime and gone on many an adventure around the world. Then ever since the birth of Franklin Benjamin Richards… the team has taken things a little slower. They would help S.H.I.E.L.D. out doing consulting jobs even acting as super powered back-up. Johnny started doing celebrity gigs while Ben and Alicia went traveling… Now that Reed and Sue have had two children… Franklin, who is six and started displaying his mutant powers just over two years ago… and three year old Valeria who seems to be the only normal one in this oddball family… the Fantastic couple have settled down eager to raise their children.

Then that whole fiasco with aliens invading New York happened and only Sue and Reed were at the Baxter building protecting the lab and their children. Since the rise of the Avengers… the Fantastic Four have taken a bit of a backseat role… though they still manage to find time to get together and head out to handle the tasks that the Avengers don’t have time for. This of course means that they leave the kids with a babysitter… Nanny Agatha… whom Franklin just adores.

“ACHOO!!!” Franklin sneezes suddenly and the book rips apart in a flurry of loose pages.

“Sorry, Mommy.” The little blonde hair boy says with an adorable pouty face. The way he apologizes at every accident is in like manner to his Godfather, Ben Grimm… a.k.a. The Thing.

“It’s okay… we can get another one.” Sue says with a warm smile down at her growing boy. “Remember… Practice…”

“Makes perfect. I know.” Franklin says with a little huff as he focuses and gathers up all the loose pages and the tattered cover with his telekinetic powers. He then gets a determined look in his eyes… not unlike his uncle Johnny’s. “I wonder.” The boy says under his breath and focuses hard.

“Franklin?” Sue says puzzled and with some concern as she looks at her son then at the floating loose pages and tattered cover. Everything shakes… the furniture, the pictures on the wall, even the air seems to quiver…

“What’s going on in here? Is Ben back early and using the treadmill again?” Johnny says as he enters the living room area and stops. “Whoa.” Johnny says as suddenly the loose pages floating in the air merge together and fuse with the tattered cover… the solid lump of paper then falls to the coffee table with a thunk. Franklin huffs and frowns at the results of his experiment.

“It didn’t work.” He groans out and Sue hugs him close.

“It was a good first try… but manipulating atoms takes a lot of concentration.” Sue says soothingly and kisses her boy on the top of his blonde haired head.

“Yeah, buddy… listen to your mom. It took her a year to perfect purifying air inside her force field bubbles… and since you’re working with more solid objects, I’d say, with some more practice, you could be fixing things like broken glass and torn up books in a few months… if even that.” Johnny encourages with a warm smile.

“You think so, Uncle Torch?” Franklin asks as he looks up at his uncle with sparkling eyes full of hero worship… after all, both of them have their blonde hair styled exactly the same… wild and spiky.

“I know so, kid.” Johnny says as he sits down on the couch next to Franklin. “In fact…” Johnny starts as he looks away then grabs Franklin in a loose headlock and scuffs up the boy’s hair with a noogie. “One day you’re gonna be better than me at this superhero gig.” Franklin giggles and squeals as he pushes out of Johnny’s weak hold then tackles his uncle by throwing his arms around Johnny’s neck. Franklin squeals some more with laughter as he pushes Johnny down to the armrest.

“Gah!” Johnny mock screams.

“I got ya! I got ya!” Franklin cries out between his giggles.

“Okay! Okay! I give! I surrender! Uncle!” Johnny says and laughs.

“Alright… Uncle Johnny surrendered. Time to let him up.” Sue says and slowly pulls Franklin away from his uncle. Then a rather prim and properly dressed man appears… His blonde hair and smiling face do not hide the fact that he is an android. His clear covering on his arms, neck, and ears can be seen as he approaches.

“It is time for young Franklin’s bath.” The Android says gently in his robotic voice thus breaking up the domesticity in the room.

“Aww… so soon, Herbie?” Franklin whines and pouts like the six year old he is… but he starts walking towards the bathroom without anymore prodding.

“Yes, I am afraid so, young sir. Come along now.” Herbie says as he follows the sulking little Franklin. Herbie is short for H.E.R.B. or Helpful Electronic Robot Butler… Franklin has always called him ‘Herbie’ and so the name has stuck. He is an android Reed designed and built to help him and Sue out with caring for their kids. Franklin minds the robot… as long as at least either his parents, uncle Johnny, or uncle Ben is around… but not so much when he is left alone with the butler-bot… hence why they have hired Nanny Agatha.

“You’re the best mom ever, sis.” Johnny says suddenly to Sue once they are all alone. “Dad would be proud.” Johnny adds and smiles at his big sister in a mix of sorrow and warmth.

“Oh Johnny…” Sue starts sadly as she looks at her younger brother. Not a year after the Galactus incident… Johnny’s military girlfriend, Frankie Raye, was killed in action while fighting terrorists in Afghanistan. She had been part of the detail protecting a certain Tony Stark when the caravan came under heavy fire.

“One day… you’ll make a great dad. Just give it time.” She adds sympathetically and squeezes his left hand with her right. Johnny smiles sadly as he looks down at her hand in his. He then sighs and withdraws from her.

“We both know I was always destined to be single. Can’t let anyone tie me down.” Johnny says with a weak chuckle and flashes his brightest smile which now is edged with a deep sorrow. Sue feels terrible for her little brother. His heart has been broken and it seems that time just isn’t healing the wound.

*BEEP*BEEP*BEEP*BEEP*

The alarm in their cellphones goes off and the TV comes on. There is a report of a localized rogue wave headed straight for Long Island.

“Looks like we’ve got work to do.” Sue says then she and Johnny race for the lab. They change in record time and join Reed at the launch pad. In no time, Sue and Reed are flying the Fantasti-Car towards Long Island with Johnny flying ahead.

“Okay looks like this wave anomaly is going to affect the coast line along Long Island the worst… but it will also threaten Hudson Bay… and in Manhattan.” Reed says as he checks his PDA readout. “Sue! Do you think you can set up a series of force fields along the bay’s mouth to buffer it?”

“Yeah… I think I can handle it.” Sue responds with a confident nod.

“Johnny! Think you can try and turn the western flank to steam?” Reed then shouts as they come up along side the flying Human Torch.

“I can try… but you know me and water don’t mix, right?”

“Just hit the front side and hope it works!” Reed says. “And Johnny… Be careful!” Reed then adds.

“You know me, Reed… all I can do is try my reckless best!” Johnny says with a searing smile then blazes off faster. They come to land at the western most tip of Long Island and hop out of the Fantasti-Car. Reed taps out a command on his smart phone… the Fantasti-Car disconnects into three pieces… each then fly off flashing red lights and announcing a general warning for everyone to vacate the immediate area. Reed then grabs a large device the size of a vacuum cleaner from the beach and extends his legs to run down the eastern stretch of the sandy shore quickly. Sue stands there looking out at the mouth of the bay where the wave will hit and funnel in. She surrounds herself with a sphere and lifts up off the sandy shore to hover over a hundred feet in the air. She focuses and concentrates… visualizing a series of several hundred pillars in several rows parallel to the shore and leading out across the bay mouth to the Jersey shore starting about a quarter mile off shore. The sea then begins to retreat from the beach rapidly and Sue double downs on the strength of her pillars. They glow a brighter bluish-white and look a bit more solid.

Then the wave comes into view… a roiling froth of white about a mile or so off shore. Johnny is blasting as much of it as he can with full on streams of flame… but it does little. No surprise. Reed is down the shore to her left… she hears the low, rapid hum of the sonic device he took with him, but it sounds like he is having some trouble.

“You got your end, Reed?” Sue asks over their commlinks.

“Yeah… I’m just adjusting the Sonic Nullifier. It disrupts energy waves… and a wave of water is kinetic energy transferred between water molecules… I just need to get the correct frequency in…” Reed says in his over explaining way as he adjusts the levels to act as a canceling agent to the energy in the rogue wave. Then the device makes a rhythmic steady low base sound. “There we go.” Reed says and points the device at the wave. It certainly does seem to be working better than Johnny’s flames as the water wave seems to lose solidity and boil down into a weaker wave front.

Either way… Sue focuses more and visualizes a massive, immovable wall along the beach, across the bay, and along the Jersey side shore… as a ‘just in case’ measure. The wave comes in… growing in height… it hits the first row of Sue’s pillars… then the second… the third and so on. It barely slows. Sue braces for impact as she lets the pillars go and focuses hard upon her wall shield.

The wave hits and goes up… Sue focuses the top of her force wall to curve back out to the ocean. The water follows the curve and Sue focuses hard as she feels the press of all that water… her nose begins to bleed. Her hovering sphere flickers and lowers to the sandy shore and Sue drops it just as the wave recedes. She holds the force wall until the ocean waters settle… then she drops it and promptly passes out. The last thing she hears is Johnny’s voice…

“Sue? Sue! Oh my god! Sue! Reed, Sue is down!” Comes her brother’s desperate cries… then all she knows is the nothingness of unconsciousness.


	2. Chance Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title says it all.

_Once long ago the Titans came from the Void Above. They conquered the Surface and the Sea. They enslaved the peoples of this world… made them build dwelling places… made them dig into the solid ground on the Surface as well as the bottom of the Sea. They were searching… for something… but the Olympians came down with a coalition of other godly beings and raged a war… a Clash of Titanic proportions!_

_And the Titans were defeated… cast down and buried alive in the deep pits they dug into the Earth. The largest pit was covered over with a mountain… Olympus it was called… and the Olympians dwelt there for a time to ensure that the Earth was returned to a more peaceful state._

_Each of the Olympians took it upon themselves to build cities near or over the sites of these Titan Tombs. Ares built Sparta atop one… Athena built Athens near another… Poseidon raised Atlantis as a mountain from the sea to seal off the second largest pit the Titans had dug. He built the greatest city amongst the Mortals and it was a jewel to behold._

_Then when the Olympians retreated, Poseidon left his mighty trident in the Heart of the great city as a form of protection… but one Prince stole the trident and fled Atlantis. It is only known that he went south to where the water always runs swift and is bitterly cold._

_With the loss of the trident… the protection was diminished greatly… and Atlantis had made enemies of other cities in the long centuries after the Olympians had left. Bitter wars fought between the Mortals had raged on and off for many generations… then one day, an ancient weapon was found and Atlantis was shaken right down to its foundations… and in a single day and night… it slipped beneath the waves forever._

_But that was not the end… for Poseidon had blessed the Atlantean people with ability to breathe under the surface of the water… and as time went on, the Atlanteans avoided the surface until they forgot about the Surface world and all its wonders. They even adapted to breathe water better and better until they could spend no more than one day’s journey of the sun across the Void Above least they perish._

_-A Summary of the History of Atlantis_

 

___________

Namor wakes up from his dazed dream of learning the history of his people. He feels groggy and cracks open his eyes only to be dazed by an intense bright light. It is piercing and hurts his sensitive eyes. He hears a rhythmic beeping sound that is foreign to his ears. In fact, every sound is ‘heard’ rather than felt as well.

“Wh-where am I?” Namor asks and his voice cracks a little as he feels air ( _air_ ) in his lungs as it passes through his mouth and nose rather than the familiar drag of water. “Where am I?! I demand to know!” Namor then shouts as he keeps his eyes sealed shout against the onslaught of light.

“Sir! Calm down!” Comes a female voice and Namor feels hands upon his bared forearms… that’s not right!

“Where is my suit?! I require my suit!” Namor shouts some more.

“We need some help in here!” The woman shouts and soon there is the sound of several footsteps and then strong hands grip Namor’s arms. _‘Warriors!’_ Namor thinks and moves to throw his aggressors off of his person.

 

___________

_Meanwhile… in Brooklyn General Hospital… the same hospital, same floor to be exact… that Namor is in…_

 

“Sue? Are you alright?” Reed asks concerned as he sits next to Sue’s hospital bed. Her dark honey hazel eyes flutter open and she looks to her husband and gives him a faint smile.

“I’ve been better.” She quips as she looks to Reed. “How long was I out… and more importantly… are the kids safe?” She then asks eager to know… and fearing that Reed had managed to forget the little things (like he usually does) as he rushed off in a hurry to be at her side.

“They’re fine. Johnny is watching them and keeping them distracted at the moment.” Reed answers the more pressing question first. “And you’ve been out for three hours, thirty-seven minutes, and eleven seconds.” Reed then says seriously to his wife as he is being very specific. Sue chuckles and rolls her eyes at him. She then tries to sit up. “Oh. Allow me.” Reed says and without moving from his seat… his arm extends over the bed and presses the button to elevate the head of it so Sue can be upright and thus more comfortable.

“Please, tell me they didn’t cut my suit off.” Sue states with a grimace as she notices that she is wearing a hospital gown as her husband’s arm goes back to normal.

“They didn’t. In fact…” Reed starts as he reaches back with his other arm this time and grabs her folded uniform from a drawer behind him (and all without leaving his seat again). “Here it is.” Reed then says and smiles at his beautiful wife.

“Thank you, Reed.” Sue then says as she takes the garment and kisses his cheek. Reed blushes even after all their years of marriage.

“I have it on good authority that you are free to leave once you feel able to.” Reed then says with a smile to his wife as he gently removes her IV line.

“Good. I can’t wait to get home and back to the kids.” Sue says as she gets off the hospital bed and heads into the attached bathroom to dress. When she comes out. Ben Grimm and Alicia walk in.

“Oh good… Susie Q is awake.” Ben Grimm says in gravelly voice as he enters with Alicia right behind him with her hand on his shoulder. The blind woman then taps her cane around as she makes her in.

“We heard about your latest ordeal.” Alicia says with a soft smile as she addresses the room. “How are you feeling now, Susan?” She then asks with concern.

“I’m fine now… I just over-exerted myself is all.” Sue says with a nervous smile and Alicia isn’t fooled.

“You’re strained… that’s understandable considering you did a great deal to save the city.” Alicia then says as she nods her head. “You should relax for awhile… take a vacation with Reed. We’ll watch the kids.” Alicia then offers with a grin.

“More like I’ll watch them and you listen to them not mind me.” Ben says with a chuckle in his deep, gravelly voice. “We could always put ‘em to bed early… huh? If you get my meanin’, Sweetheart?” Ben then teases as he gently pulls Alicia to him. She giggles and slaps softly at his stone chest.

“That sounds like a good idea.” Sue then says and smiles as she looks to Reed. “We could go on a cruise to the Bahamas.” Sue then says eagerly as she turns to give her husband a pointed look. He is busy looking at his smartphone and typing away furiously. “Reed.” She says firmly. “Reed!” She hisses at him trying not to raise her voice to loud and Reed snaps from his thoughts and looks up from his phone.

“Huh? What?” Reed says and looks up surprised at his wife… he quickly realizes he is in the doghouse when even Ben is giving him a ‘seriously?’ look.

“We should go on a vacation… to the Bahamas.” Sue then says a touch exasperatedly.

“Uh? Oh. _Oh!_ Yes… yes, of course. We should go… leave… around… the end… of the week.” Reed says as he starts to type on his phone once more. Sue rolls her eyes and focuses on the phone… it vanishes from sight. Reed is stunned for a moment then looks up at his wife with a guilty face.

“Tonight. We leave tonight… and no bringing work along.” Sue says as she stands there with hands on her hips as she asserts her authority. Reed opens his mouth in order to give his reply… but the conversation is interrupted…

“UNHAND ME!!!” Comes a loud male voice down the hall and suddenly there is the sound of slamming… like several large objects are being thrown around and hitting the wall.

“What in the hell is that?” Ben says and pulls away to look out the door in the direction of the noise. “Whoa!” Ben says as suddenly a male orderly is thrown through the door… taking it off the hinges easily. “That’s it… I’m checkin’ this out.” Ben says sternly and struts down the hall. He approaches the fallen orderly.

“Are ya alright, pal?” Ben says as he looks down at the guy in scrubs as he rubs at his forehead in a daze. “Let me handle this.” Ben then says and struts into the room… a few other orderlies are laying around, only they aren’t moving. The female nurse is cowering off in a corner to hide from any attack that might be directed at her. There is a man wearing only a pair of form-fitting leather pants standing in the center of the white room with his eyes shut tightly.

“Give me back my attire, Surface-dwellers!” The half naked guy demands as he tugs the paper hospital gown off of his muscled upper torso.

“Now just hold on a second here, pal. Calm down and maybe I can get your clothes for ya.” Ben says to the guy as he assesses the situation. He then looks to the nurse. “Can ya help me out here, Miss? Find his clothes for me maybe.” Ben asks politely enough under the circumstances. The woman looks at the Thing and is stunned for a second. She then snaps out of it.

“Over there. His clothes are over there.” She says shakily and points over to the dresser on the far side of the room.

“Thanks.” Ben says and starts across the room slowly. He holds his stone hands up and keeps an eye on the hostile guy. “Easy, fella… I’m just gonna grab your threads and make life a little easier for ya.” Ben says to the man.

“Who are you? Are you the one restraining me here?” The guy asks and Ben can hear the edge in the man’s voice.

“I’m not the one restrainin’ ya here, pal.” Ben says as he gets closer to the dresser. He averts his blue eyes to look at the drawers and starts pulling them out one by one until he finds some dark gray leather get up. “I am just visiting a friend down the hall and heard you makin’ a racket down here… so I came to investigate.” Ben grabs the garments and holds them out in front of himself… “Here ya go, pal. It’s time ta put some clothes on before you give some old lady a heart attack.” Ben says as he nudges the man’s muscled arm.

“Are you an enforcer in the service of the master of this dwelling?” The guy says a bit heatedly as he hastily pulls his skin tight long sleeved shirt on and finally his thicker leather vest with some bone (or is that scales?) armor plating on the back and across the shoulders. He then secures the bracers upon his forearms and some grieves over his shins… but there are no shoes whatsoever. This is extremely odd to Ben.

“I’m not in ‘the service’ of any master… but I do protect my friends… and three of them are just a few doors down the hall… so if you wanna tango, Twinkle-toes, we can take this outside.” Ben then says and he watches this oddly dressed man very carefully. The guy then slowly opens his closed eyes to look upon Ben Grimm.

“Whoa.” Ben says in slight shock as he notices the guy’s strange eyes… glowing blue irises surrounded by black. “That’s not somethin’ ya see everyday.” Ben then says mostly to himself.

“What manner of unnatural aberration are you, Rock Monster?” The man asks as he looks at the Thing stunned as well.

“Me unnatural? Have you looked at your eyes lately, pal? I’d say you’ve got grounds for a serious condition there.” Ben then says a bit heatedly as he bristles from the word choice by the guy. This man’s jaw clenches as do his fists.

“I have been called ‘unnatural’ all my life, Creature.” The man says heatedly in a low tone as he eyes Ben down. “I didn’t put up with it as a child… and I won’t put up with now.” The man then rushes forwards and Ben is shocked by the man’s speed. He barely as time to get his own fists into position before the guy hits… and Ben notices he hits HARD! Ben manages to catch the right jab aimed for his face but he is pushed back… PUSHED BACK!!!

“You truly are made of stone. Seriously though… what manner of thing are you?” The guy asks with a sneer as his other fist is catch by Ben’s other stone hand.

“I could ask the same about you, pal.” Ben says gruffly as he holds the guy secure. “But you can call me the Thing, Twinkle-toes.”

“So you are just a thing then. Very well then…” The guy says as he head butts Ben, which stuns the rock man long enough for his holds on the guy’s fists to be broken, and then his own stone wrists are grabbed. “Let’s take this outside!” The guy shouts as he spins and picks up Ben then launches the rocky man at the window… but a bluish aura catches the Thing and holds him in midair.

“Enough of this!” Sue says as she lifts the guy as well and brings the two men towards herself. “Now if I put you both down, will you promise not to fight?” Sue ask sternly of the two men as she stands there with hands on her hips.

“He started it.” Ben says as he gives a heated glare to the guy who just seems wonderstruck at the sight of Sue.

“I mean it, Ben… No. Fighting.” Sue says sternly and Ben huffs out a sigh.

“Fine. I won’t fight.” Ben manages and Sue lets him down. Ben then turns to look at the floating guy. “You’re lucky, pal. I was about to mop the floor with ya until Sue showed up and saved your scrawny butt.” Sue ignores Ben as she lowers this strange man with the odd eyes and pointy ears.

“What’s your name?” Sue asks trying for a friendlier tone though she is still cautious. The odd man blinks and snaps himself from his thoughts.

“Namor.” The guy says softly.

“Okay… Namor, I am going to put you down now… so please, no more fighting with my friend Ben.” Sue says in an easy tone.

“Very well… I swear, I won’t provoke your friend.” Namor says in a similar tone.

“Good.” Sue says and drops the force field holding Namor. He lands on his bared feet and eyes her in her skin-tight blue Fantastic Four uniform. She crosses her arms over her chest then. “So… Namor. Where are you from?” Sue then asks as she assesses him carefully.

“Tell me your name and I’ll tell you from where I come.” Namor says as he moves in a little closer. Sue stands her ground… but she is forced to look up at him a little more now. She tries hard to control her breathing for she notices how hansom this guy is. With his pointy ears and other-worldly eyes, he seems almost elven in appearance. She swallows tersely as she holds his unblinking gaze.

“Susan.” Sue says and Namor smiles at the sound of her name.

“Pretty… like the bearer.” Namor says in a nigh-whisper.

“Okay, pal… you need to stop ogling my best friend’s wife.” Ben says stepping in finally as he comes closer. Namor glares hard at the Thing.

“What’s going on in here? Who’s this?” Reed asks as he comes into the room and sees the trio standing there in the center amid the fallout of the rampage of a few minutes ago.

“Reed.” Sue says as she moves away and come to her husband’s side. “This is Namor. He’s from…” She says introducing the strange man and prompting him into telling her where he is from. Namor notes the closeness of the two. He frowns… and for a moment he feels not saying anything… but he is a merman of his word.

“I come from the sunken city, the Splendor of Poseidon… Atlantis.” Namor says calmly as he locks eyes with Reed.


	3. Finding Connections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Namor is escorted by the Fantastic Four to the Baxter Building and he learns more about the super-powered family... and they learn a little more about him...

“I come from the sunken city, the Splendor of Poseidon… Atlantis.” Namor says calmly as he locks eyes with Reed. The three members of the Fantastic Four present all have mixed looks of surprise and disbelief upon their faces.

“Atlantis?” Reed says incredulously as he blinks about this revelation. “But that’s just a myth.” Reed then says as he looks at Namor with furrowed brows finding this all so hard to believe.

“Next thing ya know… he’ll be sayin’ he’s king of the place.” Ben says in jest with an amused huff.

“I am King of Atlantis… or I rather, I am supposed to be.” Namor then says as he looks to Ben then to Reed and Sue.

“HA! Can I call it or what?” Ben says as he waves a stone hand at Namor and chuckles to himself.

“This is no jest!” Namor says a touch heatedly to the rock monster. He then turns to Sue and looks at her with pleading eyes. “A ruthless Warlord named Attuma coerced half of the Atlantean army to his side when he revealed that he had the Trident of Poseidon in his possession. He summoned legendary monsters of the deep with it and used the Trident itself to slay my uncle… the King.” Namor pauses and looks down as he closes his eyes feeling the loss more keenly once again. He then feels a hand upon his upper arm… and Namor looks up at Sue.

“It’s okay. We’ll help if we can.” Sue then offers as she comforts Namor.

“Thank you.” Namor says softly.

 

___________

_Ten minutes later…_

 

“Okay… you’re lucky the hospital released you to us… but that means you can’t leave our sight since you are in our custody now.” Reed says a touch sternly… though he falters a little as he looks to the slightly taller man.

“And I agreed to those terms… Besides…” Namor starts regally then looks to Sue as she helps Alicia into the Fantasti-car then seats next to the blind woman. Sue looks up at him for a lingering moment. “I have no where else to go.” Namor finishes. Reed watches Namor climb into the back section of the hovercraft.

“Well… we’ll get you back home as soon as possible.” Reed then says as he climbs in behind.

“Everyone better buckle up!” Ben says as he flips a switch and the vertical thrusters engage. Everyone buckles in… save Namor.

“Buckle up?” Namor asks as he looks to Reed curiously. Reed rolls his dark eyes and stretches his left hand over to grab the seat belt then bring it to the center to click in the middle with the other side. He then stretches his arms and pulls the shoulder harness down to click with the waist buckle. It all snaps into place forming a circle with a ‘4’ inside.

“There… now you’re ready.” Reed says and focuses forward again oblivious to the fact that Namor is looking ahead to eye Sue as they rise into the air and fly off. Ben takes them low enough to stay out of air traffic to and from JFK International, but they are high enough to be over all of the smaller buildings.

Namor can’t help but look around in awe as they fly past the sparkling new Trade Center Tower built next to Ground Zero. The shimmering glass is a dazzling sight as it reflects the high sun, the blue of the sky, and the cityscape around it.

“Such wonders you Surface-dwellers are capable of!” Namor says to Reed.

“Yeah! We can do some pretty amazing stuff!” Reed replies as they come up the center of Midtown and turn before they reach Avengers Tower. Namor looks at the curious building then at Reed who is busy tapping away on some flat object in his hands.

“What is that?” Namor asks of Reed curious to know.

“Oh, this?” Reed says as he looks to Namor. “This is what we humans call a smartphone… though this one is a more custom model. I modified it myself from a Galaxy S-7.” Reed says and he can see Namor is lost on all accounts. They pass the Oscorp Building at this moment. “It allows me to communicate with others who are far away… and to look up any information I wish to review… plus, it helps me connect with my personal super computer at home so I can work from anywhere. It even allows me to control anything connected to my personal network… like this vehicle and the Baxter Building.” Reed finishes… and Namor still looks confused. Reed sighs. “It’s magic.” He groans out as he rolls his eyes and the Fantasti-car hangs a left just north of Times Square to circle the Baxter Building. Ben brings the Fantasti-car in for a smooth vertical landing.

“We have communication devices in Atlantis… only they are smaller and powered by our thoughts.” Namor says as Reed helps him unbuckle and they climb out of the vehicle on opposite sides. Namor reaches into a pocket in his vest jacket and pulls out a golden ear cuff.

“Fascinating.” Reed says as he eyes the device and immediately wants to reverse engineer it. “Can I burrow this for awhile?” Reed then asks.

“Reed… let him use it first to see if anyone is left down there to resist this Attuma guy.” Sue says as she comes swooping in to save Namor’s device from her husband’s insatiable scientific curiosity.

“I doubt there will be anyone left to oppose Attuma now.” Namor says sadly as he looks down at the device in his hand.

“You never know… until you try.” Sue says reassuringly as she closes his fingers over the device with her own. “Come on… let’s get some food in you.” Sue then says with a friendly smile as she pulls her hand away. “Are you coming, Reed?” Sue then says as she looks back over her shoulder to her yet again distracted husband.

“Yeah, yeah… I’m right behind you.” Reed then says as he briefly lifts his head from looking at his smartphone to smile at his lovely wife. Sue shakes her head and turns away to walk from the docking garage into the living area. Namor follows close behind. He then stops Sue with a gentle hand to her shoulder once the door closes behind them.

“Such a beautiful woman as yourself deserves a man who will devote his full attention to you.” Namor says softly and leans in. Sue freezes then feels Namor’s breath on her cheek. “I would never ignore you.” He whispers then pulls back and away to smile softly to her. Sue blinks and runs her hands through her hair as she walks further into the living area.

_‘What the hell?! Get a grip, Sue! He’s just some guy you just met!’_ Sue thinks as she makes her way into the kitchen area. She starts rummaging through the cabinets for something to fix. She opts for some flavored rice dish and so pulls a pack out of chicken flavored rice with broccoli. _‘Yeah… some really hot guy.’_ Her mind then supplies as she fills up a pot with water. Sue bites at her lower lip and sets the pot on the electric stove and turns the dial to ‘high’ to bring the water to a boil. _‘You’re married… you’re married… you’re married!’_ Sue repeats in her head. _‘To an egghead who finds his experiments more fascinating that you.’_ Sue then thinks and sighs.

“Mommy!” Franklin shouts and snaps Sue from her thoughts. She turns and smiles brightly to her son as she opens her arms and catches him in a hug as he races to her. Sue then sees little Valeria standing behind the corner of the large island counter in the center of kitchen… clutching her blanket to her chest as she looks at her mother from behind white-blonde curls.

“Come here my sweet little angel girl.” Sue says happily and Valeria slowly toddles over to be embraced as well.

“We thought you were gonna havta stay in the hospital, Mommy.” Franklin supplies as he holds his mother tighter.

“No more hospital.” Valeria says as she too curls in tighter. Sue smiles and her eyes water at her children’s worry for her.

“I can’t make any promises… considering the line of work me, Daddy, and your uncles do… but I’ll try not to go back.” Sue then says and hugs her children tighter to reassure them.

“Motherhood suits you.” Namor says as he watches her with her kids. Sue then pulls away slowly and looks to her little ones.

“Go on into the other room now and watch some TV for a bit. I’ll bring you both some snacks and juice boxes.” She says and the two scurry away excited that they get a free day for a little while longer. Sue stands and turns to the stove where the water is boiling. Namor approaches and watches the sight of water boiling curiously. Sue then adds the flavored rice. “You’ve never seen water boil before?” She then asks the merman.

“No… never.” Namor says as he shakes his head. “How is that possible?” He asks curious to know. Sue starts to open her mouth to explain… but… Johnny walks in.

“Well you see… when water gets hot and reaches a certain temperature… it boils.” Johnny says with a hard smile as he eyes this new guy with a quick down-up look. Johnny’s hard smile quickly fades at how close this guy is to his sister. “Mind giving my sister some room there, buddy?” Johnny then requests as their eyes lock. Namor steps away from Sue and she breathes a little easier as she starts to stir the contents of the pot with a large metal spoon.

“You’re her brother? How intriguing… and what can you do? Can you make force shields like Susan can?” Namor then asks as he stops at the island counter directly across from Johnny.

“I’m gifted with another power.” Johnny says and snaps his fingers to create a flame on his thumb tip. Johnny waggles his eyebrows hoping to intimate… but instead Namor looks awed as his mouth slacks open.

“You control fire?” Namor asks softly as he comes around to examine Johnny’s thumb more closely. He can feel the heat from the flame. “And you don’t get burned?” Namor then adds as his brows furrow.

“Huh? Yeah… I control fire… and no, I don’t get burned.” Johnny then says as his intimidation tactic backfires on him.

“Peculiar.” Namor says as he moves away and looks to Sue. “Your little family here is quite the fascinating bunch.” Namor says addressing Sue.

“We aren’t to be trifled with either.” Sue says as she removes the pot from the stove and stirs the now tender rice. She quickly retrieves a plate from the cupboard and a fork from the cutlery drawer then spoons out some for Namor to eat. He looks down at the steaming dish and wonders what to do with the fork. He had seen Sue hold it as she put it into the hot food.

“You might want to blow on that before you put it in your mouth.” Johnny then says as he watches Namor closely. Sue gets the pitcher of lemonade from the fridge and pours some in a cup for their guest.

“Thank you… for the meal.” Namor says as he picks up the fork by the handle and scoops up a clump of flavored rice. He tentatively blows on it like Johnny suggested then slowly puts it into his mouth. He chews slowly and then his eyes widen as he tastes the rice. “This is very good. You are a talented preparer of food.” Namor says as he sits down and leans over the plate to dig in more fully now. He then drinks the lemonade and hums his content at the taste of that.

“Hmm-mmm… such delicacies you Surface-dwellers have up here.” Namor says as Sue refills his glass.

“Surface-dwellers?” Johnny asks with a raised brow at the term. “Just where exactly are you from?”

“Atlantis.” Sue says before Namor does with a full mouth.

“As in the mythical place under the sea?” Johnny queries puzzled.

“Yep.” Sue says.

“Huh. That’s new. Not surprising or the oddest thing we’ve run into… that Mole guy was down right weird… but this… well, this is almost expected by now. What with Avengers fighting aliens and an evil Norse god… so, sure, Atlantis… why not?” Johnny says and shrugs his shoulders.

“Johnny!” Sue admonishes.

“What? Just saying.” Johnny says with a smile and darts away from her snap of a dish towel.

“Gods have appeared here to you Surface-dwellers?” Namor then asks.

“Uh, yeah… Thor and Loki… from Asgard.” Johnny says incredulously to the merman. “Turns out ‘gods’ are really nothing more than powerful aliens from other worlds beyond this one. Who would’ve thought those crazy Ancient Alien theorists would be right? Not me.”

“Of course the Gods come from other worlds. Where else would they come from?” Namor asks looking at Johnny puzzled. Johnny and Sue share a look at that. “Do your Wisdom-Keepers not speak of such knowledge?”

“Up until recently… we thought aliens were nothing more than a possibility but nothing to be considered seriously.” Sue says and gives a nervous chuckle then she sighs and gets lost in a memory… “At least until…” Sue pauses… _‘Norrin Radd.’_ She thinks as she recalls the fateful events nearly eight years ago.

“The Silver Surfer showed up and brought his world eating boss with him.” Johnny adds after noticing Sue struggle to talk about the Herald of Galactus. Namor slowly nods his head.

“We in Atlantis may be more isolated than most… but even we never forgot about the Off-Worlders or the Gods. How dull life must seem without such a narrowed view of the Cosmos.” Namor says and gives a sympathetic look to Sue.

“Okay, Romeo… can it.” Johnny says breaking the mood.

“Oh… Namor… have you thought about who you could contact back in Atlantis?” Sue then asks changing the subject.

“There is only one that I can think of… but I don’t know if she is safe.” Namor says and sighs as he thinks of his cousin.

“This someone… is a lady?” Johnny asks as he leans closer to Namor on the counter and raises his eyebrows.

“Yes… my cousin, Namorita.” Namor says as his eyes grow distant.

 

___________

_Somewhere under the waves outside of Atlantis…_

 

Namorita swims low along the ocean floor. She has escaped the war torn Atlantis… but she must remain hidden for if Attuma’s men find her and take back to the capital of the Merfolk Kingdom… then she will be forced to marry that vile villain to legitimize his rule.

Namorita hides the small blue-white light in her hands close to her chest as she pauses amid the rock spires along the ocean floor. Her glowing blue eyes look up and she watches a patrol swim overhead. She curls over the small light and watches as her pale hair fans out in the water around her. She shuts her eyes tight and wishes that Namor was still here.

She shudders at the memory of how he was thrown from the city with a tremendous blast from the Trident that Attuma wields. She doesn’t know if Namor is alive or dead… she just knows that she misses him terribly so. She reaches up and presses at the jeweled clip nestles around her ear.

_‘Namor? Namor… can you hear me?’_ Namorita thinks as she opens up the line of communication. _‘Are you even alive still, Cousin?’_ Namorita sighs thinking the worst when she gets no immediate response.

_‘I’m not dead yet… and I may have found us some allies.’_ Comes Namor’s mental voice flitting through her mind.

_‘That’s wonderful news, Cousin! But hurry, please! I don’t know how much longer the people of Atlantis can take this oppression.’_ Namorita thinks as he head comes up.

_‘Soon… I’ll be there soon. I promise.’_ Namor replies and his cousin dares a small smile in the name of hope.

_‘I’ll remain hidden for as long as I can… but if Attuma finds me… he will force me to marry him… and then his rule will be legitimized.’_ Namorita thinks sadly and then adds, _‘If only you were here… we could marry and present a unified front… then we could rally the other free cities to our cause and run Attuma from Atlantis.’_ Namor is silent for several seconds.

_‘Cousin?’_ Namorita thinks quizzically.

_‘That might not work, Cousin… go to your Aunt, Lady Dorma in Lemuria. Her husband, King Karthon will lend aid to you… I am certain of this.’_ Namor instructs. Namorita lowers her head and nods.

_‘I shall.’_ She then replies and starts swimming again.

_‘Good. Be careful and stay safe, Cousin.’_ Namor then says.

_‘You, too.’_ She replies and the link is closed.


End file.
